Bridgeport Speedway Gets Fifth Different Winner as Ricky Elliott Takes Big Block Main

Bridgeport, NJ – For the fifth time in five shows, Bridgeport Speedway big block modified competition has produced a new winner for the 2001 season, as Milford, DE’s Ricky Elliott won the twenty-five lap main event on Saturday night. Elliott, in the Overhead Doors #0, took the lead on the eleventh lap from Newfield NJ’s Jimmy Chester and went the rest of the way to claim the $2500 first place prize money. Brandon Visser, driving the WXCY 103.7 #103, grabbed his first career victory, winning the Bridgeport Sportsman twenty lap main event. Wade Hendrickson and Phil Retter each won their second features of the new season in the Bridgeport Winged Sprints and Late Model divisions. One hundred-fifteen racers filled the pits at the South Jersey speedway for the four division show, which was completed before eleven o’clock.

Jimmy Chester, in the Speed Palace #44, started the modified main event on the outside pole, and grabbed the lead right from the green flag. Chester, with nine career wins in modified competition at Bridgeport, was gunning for number ten and was trying to build up enough of a lead over the rest of the field to seal the win. Caution flags prevented Chester from getting away from the pack, and on a lap ten restart Ricky Elliott wheeled the Olsen Speed Supplies #0 door to door with Chester, taking over the lead coming out of turn four to complete lap eleven. Elliott, who began the race in ninth spot, pulled away from the field, until the five to go signal was given by Starter Jim Phillips Jr, when 2000 season champion Wade Hendrickson and Steve Bottcher began to reel in the leader. At the checkered flag, Elliott led Hendrickson and Bottcher across the line with less than a car length separating each racer, with Chester holding on to fourth and seven time modified champion Jimmy Horton finishing fifth. In victory lane Elliott said, "Boy, when you win here, you’re really doing something, there are just so many good cars every week! " Elliott swept the events for the night, also winning his qualifying heat, with Chester and Hendrickson winning the other two qualifiers. Oley, PA’s Duane Howard won the consolation event.

The twenty lap Bridgeport Sportsman feature had a tough time getting started, with caution flags causing the race to be restarted twice before lap one could be scored. After lap two, the event went non-stop with Bill Klingmeyer and 2000 season champ Mark Forte leading the field before eventual winner Brandon Visser was able to power his way into the lead. Forte took over the front spot from Klingmeyer in turn three of the fifth lap, charging to the low side to make the pass. Forte was pulling away from the pack while Klingmeyer had to work to hold off the hard charging Visser. Visser took the runner up spot from Klingmeyer on lap eight and set his sight on Forte and the lead. Visser blasted by Forte at the halfway mark of the race, and went the rest of the way unchallenged for his first career win in competition at Bridgeport Speedway. Forte held off a fast closing Bob Sarkisian for second place, with Klingmeyer and Richie Pratt completing the top five. Forty-six Bridgeport Sportsman competed in the night’s events, with heat wins going to Paul Collins, Forte, and Visser. Billy Harris and Pratt won the two consolation races.

Skip Poole took the lead from the start of the Bridgeport Winged Sprint feature, and held on to the top spot for the first ten circuits of the twenty-lap main event. Wade Hendickson, in the McCabe #77, meanwhile was working his way up from fifteenth starting spot, charging his way through the field to get into second place by lap eight. Hendrickson made his move on Poole in turns three and four, and pulled in front to lead lap eleven. Hendrickson went the rest of the way for his second sprint win of the season, while Poole held on to second for his best finish in sprint division. Jeff Mueller finished third, with Brian Powell and Bob Adams filling the top five.

Absecon, NJ’s Rich Reider looked to make it three in a row in the late model class, but opening day winner Phil Retter had other plans, holding off Reider in an exciting caution free event. Retter blasted from sixth starting spot to lead every lap of the fifteen lap race, but it was far from easy for the Easton, PA driver. Reider was able to get by Retter a couple of times, as the two raced door to door for lap after lap, but each time Retter regained the lead before the start-finish line. Reider made his last move on lap twelve, diving under Retter in turn one to lead coming out of turn two, but Retter charged right back and passed Reider down the backstretch. Retter was never able to get much more than a car length lead over Reider, and went on to his second win of the season, with Reider on his tail at the finish for the runner up spot. Wayne Pfeil finished third, with two-time champion Ron Coverly coming home fourth and Bud Hayes competing the top five.

NOTES:

Chip Brown was unable to start the Bridgeport Winged Sprint feature, after crashing hard into the wall on the front straightaway. Brown really had the Chip’s Automotive #22 flying, turning laps in excess of 115 miles per hour while leading his heat race!! Brown was unhurt in the accident, but the badly damaged racer was done for the night…..Pilesgrove, NJ’s Richard Pierson qualified for his first ever modified feature in his first time out in the #30 big block…..BJ DiMascio, who was in fourth spot in the Bridgeport Sportsman point standings, was a no show for the night…..Elliott’s win, combined with Jamie Mills’ sixth place finish, finds the two Delaware drivers tied for the lead in the modified points race. Forte remains on top of the Bridgeport Sportsman point standings while Rich Reider is pulling away from the pack in the late moodel class. In the Bridgeport Sprints, last week’s winner Jeff Foote has a nine point lead over Brian Powell.

BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY RESULTS SATURDAY MAY 5, 2001

MODIFIEDS

HEAT 1 – Elliott. Hoffman, Lineman, Weaver, Laureno, Durand

HEAT 2 – Chester, Mills, Bottcher, Pompei, Adams, Truppi

HEAT 3 – Hendrickson, Horton, Hirthler, Kania, Stonebraker, Kerr

CONSI – Howard, Kell, Franz, Iles, Pierson, Smythe

MODIFIED FEATURE – 25 LAPS

Ricky Elliott, Wade Hendrickson. Steve Bottcher, Jimmy Chester, Jimmy Horton, Jamie Mills, Doug Hoffman, Scott Kania, Bucky Kell, Dave Stonebraker, Duane Howard, Kevin Hirthler, Richard Pierson, Stephan Durand, Jason Smythe, Tom Pompei, Mike Iles, Ryan Kerr, Dave Adams, Roger Laureno, Paul Weaver, Bob Lineman, Mike Franz, Brian Truppi

DNQ – Scott Davis, Rick Laubach, Ben Hatt, Joel Boinski, Dave Howard, Jason D’Alessio, Rich Polenz, Jimmy Reppert, Bill Miller, Ron Johnson, Doug Rose, Butch Glisson, Rusty Smith, Barry Voss

BRIDGEPORT SPORTSMAN

HEAT 1 – P.Collins, McDonnell, Briggs, Wescott, Baylor, Cook

HEAT 2 – Forte, Clark, Ratoskey, Pursell, Sterling, Lindale

HEAT 3 – Visser, Klingmeyer, Roberts, Sarkisian, Lineman Jr, Suhr

CONSI 1 – Harris, McCardell, Schweibinz, J.Horton

CONSI 2- Pratt, Barone, Smith, K.Collins

BRIDGEPORT SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20 LAPS

Brandon Visser, Mark Forte, Bob Sarkisian, Bill Klingmeyer, Richie Pratt, Frank McDonnell, GR Smith, Ron Roberts, Jesse Sterling, Sam Wescott, Billy Harris, Bud Schweibinz, Al Suhr, Walt Clark Jr, Bob Cook, Jay Horton, Bob Lineman Jr, Steve Lindale, John McCardell, John Pursell, Don Barone, Kevin Collins, Scott Baylor, Rob Ratoskey, Paul Collins, Bill Briggs

DNQ – Chris Riddle, Bill Horton, Joe Czachorowski, Kate Brown, Tom Fox, Steve Harrison, Eric Poole, Joe Infante, Brian Fucelli, Robert Wyant Jr, Dennis Price, Greg Peck, Joe Dekutosky, Frank Curry, Eric Kormann, Christopher Christ, Len Moncaleri, John Dixon, Steve Lozorak

BRIDGEPORT SPRINTS

HEAT 1 – Poole, Walters, Romano, Stellfox

HEAT 2 – Mueller, Piersig, Powell, Adams

BRIDGEPORT SPRINT FEATURE – 20 LAPS

Wade Hendrickson, Skip Poole, Jeff Mueller, Brian Powell, Bob Adams, Jim Walters, Jeff Foote, Mike Donaghy, Dave Brown, Warren Durbin, Wayne Mauro, Tom Whittall, Joe Butts, Joe Howe, Mike Piersig, Brett Romano, Mares Stellfox DNS- Chip Brown

LATE MODEL FEATURE – 15 LAPS

Phil Retter, Rich Reider, Wayne Pfeil, Ron Coverly, Bud Hayes, Daddy Pfeil, Dave Williams, Ron Dirkes, Greg Schmidt, Ken Moren DNS- Bill Force, Jack Mullin